Pan Seared Sea Scallops in a Herb Butter Wine Sauce

Sea scallops are the larger scallops.  They are so good fresh out of the ocean, locally, in the summer time.  If buying them from the store, you do not want "previously frozen" scallops they shrink during cooking.  The seasoned butter mixture for this recipe is prepared first and set aside for use after the scallops are seared. This recipe was enjoyed as a precursor to dinner at our daughter's house in the fall following her wedding. The scallops were served on grilled zucchini rounds over a tomato cream coulis. The recipes for the grilled zucchini and tomato cream sauce follow the scallop recipe should you wish to try that presentation. 

If you choose to use the zucchini rounds and tomato coulis, you need to prepare them before cooking the scallops.   To serve, place heated tomato coulis on a dish, put grilled zucchini round on top of coulis and complete with a scallop on top.  Drizzle with a little coulis and sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Herb Butter

• 1 stick butter, room temperature
• 1 T shallots, minced
• 1 1/2 t fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 t fresh parsley, minced
• 1 T plus 1 t white wine

Beat butter until fluffy.  Add shallots, thyme, parsley and wine.  Mix well and set aside. 

Pan-Sear Sea Scallops

• 1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 T butter
• 2 lbs. sea scallops
• sea salt and black pepper to taste
• 1/2 c dry white wine
• parsley or chives as garnish

With a paper towel, pat the scallops dry. In a large skillet (cast iron is preferred) over medium-high heat, melt butter and add oil.  Depending on the size of your pan place half of the scallops in pan without overcrowding them.  In other words, there should be plenty of space in between each scallop.  Watch carefully.  Cook about 2 minutes and turn to sear other side for two minutes. Remove the cooked scallops to a dish and cook second half, adding more butter and olive oil if necessary.  Remove the cooked scallops to the dish with the others. Reduce heat to medium and add the white wine to the pan. Simmer for 1 -2 minutes.  Remove from heat, turn off the stove and add half of the herb butter mixture to the pan. Stir until melted.  Carefully add only the juices from the dish of scallops, place the pan on the stove and heat on medium.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  We serve this over pasta with juices from the pan.

Tomato Cream Coulis

• 2 T butter
• 16 ozs. pureed tomatoes (fresh if possible)
• 2/3 c shallots, minced
• 1 T garlic, minced
• 1 t kosher salt
• 1/2 t black pepper
• 3/4 c heavy cream
• 1 T tarragon, chopped

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add tomatoes, stirring occasionally for about 3 - 4 minutes.  Add shallot and garlic, stirring occasionally for 1-2 minutes.  Add salt and pepper and stir in the heavy cream.  Cook, stirring occasionally until the sauce thickens slightly, about 1-2 minutes.  Add tarragon and serve.  This is amazing over macaroni also. 

Grilled Zucchini

• 1 medium zucchini sliced in to rounds
• 1 T extra virgin olive oil
• 1 t garlic powder
• salt and black pepper to taste

Preheat grill on medium high.  In a large bowl, toss zucchini with olive oil, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Once grill is hot, use tongs to place zucchini on grill.   Cover and cook for about 2 minutes.  Flip and cook other side for about 2 minutes.  Remove to a dish and serve.